Comments on: The Republican party is grateful to be back in the minority http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/13/the-republican-party-is-grateful-to-be-back-in-the-minority/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:31:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Erika Price http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/13/the-republican-party-is-grateful-to-be-back-in-the-minority/#comment-9490 Erika Price Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:48:15 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=932#comment-9490 Rush's comment makes me think of the psychological phenomenon of groupthink, wherein an individual may feel doubts about their leadership, but chooses to silence all desent for fear of disturbing the progress of the group. Drunk on the former power of the Republican Party, even skeptical conservatives bit their tongues, and we all suffered for it. Rush’s comment makes me think of the psychological phenomenon of groupthink, wherein an individual may feel doubts about their leadership, but chooses to silence all desent for fear of disturbing the progress of the group. Drunk on the former power of the Republican Party, even skeptical conservatives bit their tongues, and we all suffered for it.

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/13/the-republican-party-is-grateful-to-be-back-in-the-minority/#comment-9482 Erich Vieth Sun, 14 Jan 2007 16:57:07 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=932#comment-9482 Ebonmuse: I read that same article you placed in your comment (above). I had also read your post, and was pondering my intense emotional reaction to both. Here's where I am today: I take the statement by Jo Anne Emerson (and other newly "freed") republicans as admissions of guilt. They are admitting that they have been violating their oaths of office for political expediency. There is no greater crime against our country. I write this knowing the legislation-as-sausage-making image. I'm not naive as to the toxic culture of DC. The political enticements and pressures those Republican representatives felt only serve as explanations for their pre-meditated on-going behavior, not as real excuses. But I'm not buying that the are victims. No one (or, at least, I would hope no one) was putting a gun to their heads while they cast all of their ludicrous democracy-crushing emperialism-mongering votes. But now, they are so relieved to do what is right and good for their constituents. Well, it was all in their heads. They were always free, but they didn't have the courage to vote honestly all along. I'm not convinced that these Republicans have learned anything at all. I suspect that they are making this current round of "I am free" as a matter of expedience, not out of any sense of remorse. I hope that I am wrong in my pessimism. Thank you for your thoughtful post and comment. Ebonmuse: I read that same article you placed in your comment (above). I had also read your post, and was pondering my intense emotional reaction to both. Here’s where I am today: I take the statement by Jo Anne Emerson (and other newly “freed”) republicans as admissions of guilt. They are admitting that they have been violating their oaths of office for political expediency. There is no greater crime against our country. I write this knowing the legislation-as-sausage-making image. I’m not naive as to the toxic culture of DC. The political enticements and pressures those Republican representatives felt only serve as explanations for their pre-meditated on-going behavior, not as real excuses.

But I’m not buying that the are victims. No one (or, at least, I would hope no one) was putting a gun to their heads while they cast all of their ludicrous democracy-crushing emperialism-mongering votes. But now, they are so relieved to do what is right and good for their constituents.

Well, it was all in their heads. They were always free, but they didn’t have the courage to vote honestly all along.

I’m not convinced that these Republicans have learned anything at all. I suspect that they are making this current round of “I am free” as a matter of expedience, not out of any sense of remorse.

I hope that I am wrong in my pessimism.

Thank you for your thoughtful post and comment.

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/01/13/the-republican-party-is-grateful-to-be-back-in-the-minority/#comment-9480 Ebonmuse Sun, 14 Jan 2007 15:46:40 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=932#comment-9480 As it happens, the day after posting this thesis I found <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/13/AR2007011301189.html?nav=rss_politics" rel="nofollow">some additional evidence</a> in favor of it: <blockquote> Freed from the pressures of being the majority and from the heavy hand of former leaders including retired representative Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), many back-bench Republicans are showing themselves to be more moderate than their conservative leadership and increasingly mindful of shifting voter sentiment. ..."You're freer to vote your conscience," said Rep. Jo Anne Emerson (R-Mo.), who received an 88 percent voting record from the American Conservative Union in 2005 but has so far sided with Democrats on new budget rules, Medicare prescription-drug negotiations, raising the minimum wage and funding stem cell research. "Or, really, I feel free to represent my constituents exactly as they want me to be." </blockquote> Just think of what quotes like this mean: when they were in the majority, these Republicans are saying, they felt that they were not able to do what the people they were representing wanted them to do. Now they can. Our long national nightmare may be ending at last... As it happens, the day after posting this thesis I found some additional evidence in favor of it:

Freed from the pressures of being the majority and from the heavy hand of former leaders including retired representative Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), many back-bench Republicans are showing themselves to be more moderate than their conservative leadership and increasingly mindful of shifting voter sentiment.

…”You’re freer to vote your conscience,” said Rep. Jo Anne Emerson (R-Mo.), who received an 88 percent voting record from the American Conservative Union in 2005 but has so far sided with Democrats on new budget rules, Medicare prescription-drug negotiations, raising the minimum wage and funding stem cell research. “Or, really, I feel free to represent my constituents exactly as they want me to be.”

Just think of what quotes like this mean: when they were in the majority, these Republicans are saying, they felt that they were not able to do what the people they were representing wanted them to do. Now they can. Our long national nightmare may be ending at last…

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